Eagles Smith Signs With UC Santa Barbara

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MSJC men's basketball player Dajuan Smith signed a scholarship today to continue his educational and playing career at UC Santa Barbara.

Smith a 6'3 guard from Abbeville, Louisiana was a First Team All Pacific Coast Athletic Conference performer this past season as he helped the Eagles to a conference title and an overall record of 25-5. Smith averaged 14 points per game during the 2013-14 season while starting all 30 games for MSJC on their way to qualifying for the State Final Eight. Smith also pulled down 5.8 rebounds per game while scoring in double figures 26 times this season. Dajaun had a career high 27 points on February 19th against San Diego Miramar.

"Mt. San Jacinto helped develop my character", said Smith. "Coach Springer wanted the best for you and in an environment where you play against men everyday this program helped me mature from being a kid to being a man."

UC Santa Barbara is coming off a season in which they went 21-9 and finished second in the Big West Conference regular season standings. "The educational opportunity at UCSB is great," added Smith. "The basketball program allows you to play on the Big Stage, and I just loved everything about the campus on my visit". UCSB Head Coach Bob Williams is also excited about Smith's arrival as a member of the Gauchos, "Dajuan is a physical player who can and will defend." "He can also shoot it and take it off the dribble", added Williams "He has a very tenacious approach and I think he'll fit it with this team perfectly."

Smith joins teammate Dwayne Benjamin who signed with the University of Oregon earlier this year as two more Eagles moving on to NCAA Division I programs. Benjamin and Smith are the 19th and 20th players to sign with Division I schools since Patrick Springer took over as head coach at MSJC before the 2003-04 season.

Dajuan Smith signed a scholarship today with UC Santa Barbara making him the 20th player in the past 10 seasons at MSJC to sign with an NCAA Division I program.Smith averaged 14 points per game this year while helping the Eagles to a 25-5 record.